The Beol Mountains

DanMachi: The Dragon's Return

Hey, everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews! I want to give an especial huge shout out to author "The Four Crosses," who helped me out of my writer's block and whom I have simply enjoyed talking mythology and DanMachi with! If you get a chance, please read his DanMachi fic, "Heroes." It has been a truly epic tale thus far, and I promise you will love every word of it! Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 19

The Beol Mountains

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It had not taken long for Bell Cranel to bring Zeus back to the cave his companions rested at from the storm that delayed them. Zeus stood at an impressive seven feet in height, and was only a little shorter than Michael, whose presence immediately drew the attention of the god. Bell could only open his mouth in slight shock when his grandfather knelt before the Titan. Michael, who had sat upon a rock, watched Bell's grandfather silently, and puffed slowly on his pipe. Rings of smoke filled the air and danced around the group until the smoke eventually came to crown Michael's head. Eventually, the Titan rose and moved closer to Zeus before offering a hand to him.

"You have done well, old friend," the Titan smiled as Zeus clasped to the hand of the seemingly old man. Michael pulled Zeus back to his feet before turning his eyes to the young Bell Cranel, who could only watch the exchange between his grandfather and the Titan with curiosity along with his friends. "I assume you have reintroduced yourself, yes?" Michael asked Zeus, though he kept his eyes on the boy.

"I have," Zeus answered.

"I can hardly believe it, myself," Bell said quietly. "Grandfather, why didn't you form a Familia with me if you're a god?"

"It would not have gone well for you if I had, Bell," Zeus sighed and frowned.

"This is a god?" Lili asked with surprise, looking between the old man and Michael.

"A rather famous god, at that," Michael laughed. "Aren't you, Zeus?"

"Zeus?!" Welf and Lili jumped at the revelation.

"You could have joined the Zeus Familia?" Welf looked at the young man he had long considered a friend and like that of a younger brother.

"It was only the will of the High God that Zeus protect and raise young master Bell," Michael puffed on his pipe. "But Bell's strength was always destined to be Hestia's."

"Not to mention that Freya and Loki would not have complained at the prospect of my death if they knew of my whereabouts," Zeus chuckled nervously and scratched at the back of his head. "Michael was very adamant that I kept myself and Bell a secret until it was time to part ways."

"So then everyone who thought my grandfather had died…," Bell trailed off, his eyes filled with both sadness and utter joy that his grandfather was not killed by monsters.

"The faked death of Zeus was at the behest of the High God," Michael answered when he finally turned his eyes back on upon Bell's grandfather. "And your part is far from over."

"It is an honor to be aid to mortals once again," Zeus smiled and bowed his head, placing a fisted right hand over the left of his chest.

"It would be better it these Titans helped more," Lili grumbled to which Michael laughed.

"We help where we can when we are so commanded," the Titan turned to the beautiful Pallum. "Even so, I will not rebuke your complaint, irrelevant though it is."

"Irrelevant?" Lili frowned. "Where were you when monsters overran the world?"

"Monsters are the product of mortal ill," Michael countered. "And there are many amongst my kin who were rather reluctant to give the aid mortals receive now, aren't there, Zeus?"

"Many of whom only sought excitement that is found in the Lower World rather than to save mortals from the evil that plagues them," Zeus answered after a moment of silence. "Soma, Freya, Loki, to name a few, and many others."

"Even so, the gods serve the seen world, the Titans serve the unseen," Michael continued. "With exceptions, of course. But, to answer your question, we have long since saved the world from being overrun by a foe more powerful than I am alone, and thousands of times more dangerous than the Dragon you are charged with destroying."

"Still, why couldn't any of you—" Lili started sharply but was interrupted by a sudden pair of arms wrapped around her.

"Enough, Lili," Bell said quietly, yet firmly, pulling her into his embrace. The Pallum blushed in embarrassment, unsure how to respond to Bell's actions while the boy turned his face to Michael and Zeus.

"She asks fair questions," Bell frowned.

"She asks what she believes to be fair questions," Michael smiled at the boy. "She would not be demanding if she were to ask the One whom I serve face to face."

"So what now?" Bell asked after a sigh.

"The Beol Mountains were once favored by smithy gods and Titans before Celestia and the Lower World were separated," Michael mumbled as he puffed on his pipe. "Mithril was found here, and durandal in large quantities. The 'Blood of Gaia,' the gods once called veins of mithril and durandal that crossed together; silver, like starlight, and only capable of being forged by divine smith. They are right in part, the gods, Gaia is truly part of the world that is, for it was her delight to create paradise so she might worship the High God through nature's beauty."

"Is that the blood you told me of?" Bell asked feeling a fear that had long tormented his mind relax with hope.

"The Blood of Gaia is much more than veins of mithril and durandal," Michael continued, ignoring Bell's question. "There are thousands of other metals that make up Gaia's blood, not to mention the magma further beneath us. But mithril and durandal are two of the three most important components, which is why the blood is so favored, only mortals favored the two I named."

"And the other metal?" Welf asked.

"You have discovered it," Michael frowned. "Though I suppose you do use it for glass coloring. Only the dwarves have not grown sick from mining it."

"You must mean illumetal," Welf said with some thought. "Yes, only dwarves do not grow sick from mining the full metal, but other races can safely harvest the powders. It glows many colors under strong light emitted from magic. I thought it was otherwise useless."

"Far from it," Michael sighed quietly when the tobacco in his pipe finally burned out. "Magic is what shows an inkling of its true nature. 'Gaia's Wrath,' it is called amongst the Titans and the greater gods, the boiling of her blood, for she is the executioner of the High God's judgement upon the sins of mortals."

"Why should we care about a metal?" Lili asked, partly out of boredom and wanting to get to the point of what the Titan was talking about.

"Before the mortals fell into the evil they were deceived into by Enyo Eris, there was one amongst the greater gods who found a use for illumetal combined with mithril and durandal that rivaled the power of a star, but he could only create it by reaching enlightenment," Michael said with sadness in his voice. "Brahma is his name, and indeed found a way to reach enlightenment. Though he was indeed considered wise amongst the divine, evil found an opportunity. Enyo Eris, who sought to destroy the world, found and convinced a dark god by the name of Moloch* recreate what Brahma made, along with two other lesser gods. Though Moloch could not reach enlightenment, he had power enough between himself and his companions, whom he slaughtered, to recreate a fraction of Brahma's wonder. A fraction was all Enyo Eris would need. Were it not for the for the love and faith of an elf prince that desired to marry a spirit, perhaps the High God would not have been moved by mortals to order the Titans to bind Enyo Eris to the deepest pits of Sheol. She was never able to claim Moloch's work. As for Moloch, he became the beast that you have failed to slay, Zeus."

"And his hammer still rings in the thunder where Thor's is not heard," Zeus growled. "I shall not forgive the traitor for what he has done to this world and its people."

"Nor shall the High God impart mercy upon him," Michael nodded.

Thunder cracked almost as if in defiance to Michael's declaration and Lili felt a shiver run down her back as she snuggled her body closer to Bell, who still held onto her. Bell trained his eyes upon the Titan and Zeus. Zeus shook in furry at the memory of the god who destroyed his Familia, and Bell remembered the same eyes of wrath appearing in the woman he loved, Ais Wallenstein.

"So what did Moloch make?" Bell asked.

"An arrow," Zeus said darkly. "Ash gray and filled with hatred. A mockery of what Brahma made to glorify the High God for the enlightenment Brahma was gifted."

"An arrow that is still somewhere in these mountains," Michael turned his eyes towards the mouth of the cave and gazed upon the pouring rain that came down harder. Cold air flowed into the cave, biting at the company's still soaked clothes. "There are paths in these mountains. Hidden passages that lead under the earth and to places that no one has seen since the days Celestia stood upon the world. Under these mountains lies Moloch's forge, from which he made his weapon of cruelty. Even now, Enyo Eris looks for it. But, if she finds the Dragon first, the arrow will be hers. Asgard will fall, the Dragon's Valley will be unleashed, and Orario will be destroyed, allowing Enyo Eris to cover all the world in eternal darkness."

The Titan turned his eyes to Bell, and for a moment Bell saw a glimpse of all the ages Michael had endured within his eyes, along with all of the cares the Titan toiled. Bell felt his blood chill. He wondered why he had to be chosen, why the fate of the world laid squarely on the shoulders of him and his friends. The thought of any one of them dying for a destiny none of them wanted scared him and angered him more.

"You ask too much," Bell growled.

"Yes, I do," Michael answered. "But Fate did not choose someone else. You do not get do decide what Fate has for you, but you do get to decide which fate is to be followed. Fate belongs to the High God, but fate, choice, is the gift given to mortals."

"And if I choose to do nothing or run, or try to give this to someone else, the world falls, right?" Bell asked.

"That is Fate, yes," Michael nodded. "But you are not the one to fail by doing nothing, are you?"

"I almost wish I was," Bell sighed and let his body slump. If Lili had clung to him, he would have fallen, but she guided him gently downward in their embrace. Gently, she nudged closer to him as she felt him tremble beside her. "It is easier being a coward."

"You are a coward," Michael smiled. "But it is the acknowledgement of your weakness, your desire for wisdom, that the High God has given you strength and courage through your Hestia. It is poetic. She is much more like you than you give her credit for."

Bell closed his eyes and took a moment to breath deeply. He stroked Lili's hair, causing her to quietly mewl contently under his touch. When he opened his eyes again, he looked around at those surrounding him. Michael and Zeus offered him their smiles, though Bell could tell that the smiles were filled acknowledgement of his unease. Welf had a larger grin on his face, almost to the point that Bell had to keep himself from laughing. It was a smile that let Bell know that even if they were to die, they would die as friends, family, and heroes. His last gaze was cast upon Lili, who stared up at him gently before pushing herself up to press her lips against his. The kiss was soft, and Lili wrapped her arms around Bell's neck, but it was far from unchaste. Zeus barely stifled praising his grandson while Welf snorted a laugh, causing Lili to break the kiss and glare the redheaded blacksmith.

Welf offered Lili a shy smile to apologize, but still could not wipe the amusement in his eyes. Lili sighed and shook her before turning her eyes back to Bell. The boy was slightly taken aback by Lili's boldness, but did not look completely surprised. The pair offered each other small smiles of encouragement and Bell turned his attention to Michael.

"How do we find this arrow?" Bell asked calmly and with as much courage as he could muster from the strength of this friends.

"The caves are interconnecting," Michael answered after a pause. "But they are a labyrinth. Molech ensured that the arrow could only be found by him. Finding the arrow will take time, and no small amount of luck, but a god should venture the caves with better ease, as Molech could only forge where Gaia's blood is richest. Only a god can see the richness of her blood."

"Then we just need to follow the cave by your sight?" Bell asked.

"Not mine," Michael shook his head. "It shall be by the eyes of Zeus that you find the arrow. Here, I must leave you for a time for Sheol, the Dungeon."

"What?!" Lili cried in bewilderment. "Why are you leaving when you're the sending us on this mad quest?!"

"Gaia shall not allow me to enter," Michael answered plainly. "If I were to enter here, it will be a violation of how far I may interfere."

"So why are you able to enter the Dungeon?" Bell frowned.

"There are souls of the dead that I may bring out of Sheol," Michael answered. "But now I must enter for the souls that cannot escape. War is coming to Orario, and your Xenos friends shall require my aid. Zeus shall lead you to the arrow, and to Asgard."

"You sure do enjoy making things difficult for us," Welf sighed with exasperation, gaining a chuckle from Zeus.

"He has always been on the pious side of that," Zeus smiled. "You get used to his being by the book."

"Stay by the road that you see, Zeus," Michael warned. "There are things under the earth that serve Gaia and share in her hatred of mortals for defiling her."

"None of them shall leave my sight," Zeus swore.

Michael nodded and clenched his staff before heading out of the cave. The company watched until Michael had disappeared from their view and Zeus turned to them. His face, which was previously kind and carefree now turned dark and grim.

"This place is not like the Dungeon." Zeus warned. "There is evil here that preys on your mind. You will hear voices that will call out to you, but do not listen to them, for they are far stronger than anything you might find at Orario. Thankfully, however, such creatures only lurk in the caverns closer to Mount Beol, at the center of the range. But, if my fears are right, that is exactly where we will be headed."

…

*1. During the Middle Ages, uranium was used to color glass. The Romans used it to give a yellowish color to their pottery.

*2. Moloch was historically a god of the Canaanites who were driven out by the people of Israel. The god was a god of the forge and of war, and worship of Moloch demanded that a child be put on its statue, which was also a furnace, so that said child would be burned alive upon it. There has been archeological evidence that suggests that the Canaanites fled to Lybia after Israel took over Palestine, and Moloch became Ba'al Hammon, the head of the Carthaginian gods. A "Ba'al," literally meaning "lord," is also considered a sky god. (Yes, for those of you who have recognized my genuine love for the Tolkein mythos, I had an image of Sauron in my mind when I imagined Moloch. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Tolkien modeled Sauron after Moloch.)

…

And finished with this chapter! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me thus far. I greatly appreciate your patience. I really ought to pace myself to pervert lapses of writer's block, but I honestly am just the kind of person who has an idea, will get it out as quickly as possible, and then shut down until an idea hits me again. In either case, please leave your reviews! I always enjoy the feedback of constructive criticism. If you just have questions you simply want answered, I will try to answer those as well. I am planning on doing a little rewriting on past chapters; nothing major though, I just thought to maybe add a couple additions but the plan is overall a general cleanup whenever I have the time. Work, as always, comes before pleasure!

In either case, once again, please give The Four Crosses' "Heroes" a look at, if you are looking for a story that attempts to stay faithful to DanMachi while establishing a huge mythology for itself.

Stay safe, everyone, and have a great day! I'll see you in the next chapter!